Delta Airlines: An Ethical Dilemma Case Study - Essay Sample

Introduction

Delta airlines are one of the major airlines in the united states that have over 5400 daily flights, goes to 325 destinations in 52 countries and six continents. Ethical dilemmas happen when one has to decide between two situations if one chooses either of the sides; one might break a moral principle, just like any other company delta faces ethical dilemmas ("What Are the Ethical Obligations of Airlines to Passengers?", 2020).

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An incident that happened on the 23rd of April 2017 in a plane that was moving from Hawaii to Los Angeles. They kicked a family off the flight due to a disagreement about a child's seat. A passenger Dr. David Dao claimed that he was injured during his physical removal from the plane. What happened is David had booked a place for his older son, and he left earlier with another flight, and one of his other children, a two-year-old, sat there. The flight attendant claimed that according to the federal aviation administration (FAA), a two-year-old was supposed to be carried on a lap of an adult and not lt to sit on his own. They claimed that the flight was overbooked, and he should let another passenger sit there. Dr. David refused because he had already paid for the sit. The employees told the passenger they would even stay there all day if he refused to let another passenger have a seat. Finally, he accepted, but the employee physically removed the family from the plane and said it had come too far. According to FAA and Delta policy, parents should put their children in a safety device in their seats. The passenger sued the plane and the court-ordered compensation of the family. In this situation, the flight attendant was in a dilemma. The flight had been overbooked, meaning that some passengers would miss their flight. She saw an opportunity when one passenger did not show up. Again the seat had been paid for and was being used. They had made a mistake of overbooking, so instead of physically removing the passenger, they would have explained the issue, and if things escalated, ask the passenger to leave politely ("What Are the Ethical Obligations of Airlines to Passengers?", 2020).

Less than a month later, another family was forced to leave an overnight flight from Maui to California. Brian, the passenger, made a post on youtube about the incidence, and Delta was quick to secure compensation. From the video, we can hear the attendant telling Brian that they would put him to jail, and his children would have to go into the foster care system. Ethics is what one does when they are not being watched. In this case, if the passenger did not post the video online, then then they would not have been compensated ("What Are The Ethical Obligations Of Airlines To Passengers?", 2020). The attendant lacked common sense and decency. Telling Brian that they would put him to jail in front of his family would only make the children terrified and worried that they would be left alone. There are better ways of communication than are shouting and threatening people.

To deal with the situations and lawsuits, Delta has compensated the customers who do not feel satisfied with the services. Also, they have a code of conduct that tells employees how they should carry themselves in different situations where to report cases that they cannot handle and how to respond to customers who seem not to understand the protocol ("What Are the Ethical Obligations of Airlines to Passengers?", 2020).

How Is Delta Dealing With Covid 19?

Covid 19 is a worldwide pandemic that is very contagious and is spread via droplet. According to scientists, Covid 19 stays on the surface for many hours, so is one comes into contact with these surfaces and touches their face, and then they get infected. Incubation takes fourteen days, and scientists also believe that one can spread the disease even when they are incubated. The world health organization has advised social distancing and hygiene to cope with the virus ("Delta Responds to Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak",2020).

Delta has put measures into position to ensure the security and safety of customers and employees. Delta has a continued relationship with the CDC and WHO and health personnel from the affected areas; hence the receive first-hand information concerning Covid 19; therefore, they can offer protection to their clients ("Delta Responds To Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak", 2020).

Delta has also changed the travel timetables, relinquished change fees to hotspot destinations, and is helping customers to change travel plans, even communicating with other travel lines. In conjunction with CDC, world health organization, and other health organizations, Delta is getting information about disinfecting the planes to avoid transmission. Delta is using EPA registered disinfectants that deals with all infectious diseases and trained cleaning teams. Before any customer boards a plan, they are asked if they have visited the mainland of china within 14 days if they have then they pass through the 11 chosen airports to go through screening and possible restrictions. Those who have been to Hong Kong and Macau within 14 days are not allowed to enter the US ("Delta Responds to Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak", 2020).

Works Cited

Delta professionals. ("Delta Responds To Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak". Pro.Delta.Com, 2020, https://pro.delta.com/content/agency/us/en/news/news-archive/2020/february-2020/delta-responds-to-coronavirus--covid-19--outbreak-.html.

"What Are The Ethical Obligations Of Airlines To Passengers?". Workplace Ethics Advice, 2020, https://www.workplaceethicsadvice.com/2017/05/what-are-the-ethical-obligations-of-airlines-to-passengers.html.